


It Isn't About The Sex (But It Helps)

by momentinsubtext



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-28
Updated: 2009-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-15 08:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2222700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/momentinsubtext/pseuds/momentinsubtext
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack and Ten have some issues they should probably work out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted from my Teaspoon account.

"Being near me really hurts you, doesn't it?"  
  
"No! Well, maybe a little bit," the Doctor admitted. "But it isn't - it's not - being near you makes everything else hurt." Jack arched an eyebrow. "Okay, imagine all of time and space as a swiftly moving river."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"And I'm floating through it." He paused. "That's some interesting imagery you've got there, Captain."  
  
"I'm an interesting guy."  
  
"Yes, so am I, apparently," he muttered. " _Jack._ "  
  
"Alright, alright."  
  
"Anyway, I'm floating through this river, and there are currents and eddies and rapids and shallow bits and fish, and it's all moving _so fast._ And then there's this _rock_ , not doing anything wrong, just sitting there, existing. And every now and then when I go by, I smash into it, head first." He fiddled with something on the Tardis console, then crossed the room to stand in front of Jack. "Blood and brains and broken bones, not to mention the water crashing all around, trying to drown me and tear me limb from limb and throw me into the jagged edges. The closer I get to you, the worse it gets," he continued, voice getting quieter with each word. Jack wanted to ask him 'then why am I here on the Tardis, why would you come back' but he didn't dare interrupt. "And then," he whispered, his mouth just inches from Jack's ear. "When I touch you." His fingertips grazed Jack's cheek. "It. All. _Stops._ All of it. The whole thing just ceases to exist." He closed his eyes, his hand settling on the back of Jack's neck. "God, Jack, touching you is like being in the Zero Room."  
  
"The what?"  
  
"Doesn't matter, it's gone now." He dropped his hand and flinched as the universe rushed in around him.  
  
"Don't," Jack said, reaching for his hand. "If it hurts you that much, just don't." The Doctor stared at their interlaced fingers for a long moment before looking up to meet Jack's eyes. Jack grinned. "Feel free to touch me as often as you like," he said, keeping his voice deliberately light.  
  
"Trust you to make something completely innocent sound absolutely filthy," he half-grumbled, unable to keep the smirk from his voice.  
  
"Call it a gift."  
  
The Doctor snorted. "I'll call it no such thing."  
  
Jack laughed, wrapping his free arm around the Doctor's waist, keeping the other man pinned against him. "And there's nothing innocent about this."  
  
"Isn't there?" he asked, mimicking Jack's actions.  
  
"Not when it comes to us. You know that."  
  
"You'd think I would by now, wouldn't you?"  
  
"Yeah." He rested his forehead against the Doctor's. "You're beautiful."  
  
"Bet you say that to all the boys," the Doctor joked.  
  
"And all the girls," he leered. "But I mean it every time."  
  
"Then it hardly means anything at all, does it?"  
  
Jack frowned, considering this.  
  
"Thing is," the Doctor continued. "Thing is, Jack, I don't think you'd know what to do with yourself if I suddenly started taking all your suggestions seriously."  
  
"I think you'll find I could handle myself adequately."  
  
"How you handle yourself isn't really the point, Jack," the Doctor said, his eyes sparkling. "You wouldn't have the slightest clue what to do if I ever said yes to you."  
  
"Let's put that to the test, shall we?" Jack said, leaning forward to brush his lips against the Doctor's.  
  
"Oh," the Doctor said softly. "Do that again."  
  
"Gladly," Jack smirked, pressing his lips to the Doctor's, more firmly this time. "I want you."  
  
"You want everyone," the Doctor pointed out.  
  
"No," Jack corrected between kisses. "I'll pursue anyone. I'll settle for anyone. I _want_ you."  
  
"Oh," the Doctor sighed. His hand slid down to cup Jack's arse. "This is nice."  
  
Jack mirrored him. "Surprised?"  
  
"Not really. Always knew I'd like doing this with you."  
  
"I didn't know you'd thought about it," Jack teased.  
  
"Like you've ever met anyone who hasn't."  
  
"First time for everything. I always thought that was you."  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you."  
  
"Don't be. I like to be proven wrong."  
  
The Doctor chuckled. "I'd be careful saying that to a Time Lord, Jack. Could come back to bite you in the arse one of these days." Jack raised an eyebrow. "Not one word."  
  
Jack kissed him again, fingers tangling in the Doctor's hair. The Doctor' s lips parted more easily than he'd expected - not that he was complaining, mind - and he found himself melting against the other man, his erection poking the Doctor's hip. Really, considering how long he'd pined after the Doctor, the fact that he hadn't just shoved him against a wall by now was an accomplishment of biblical proportions.  
  
"Don't think is the right place for this, really," the Doctor said when they broke for air.  
  
"My room is closer," Jack said, breathing heavily. "That is, if I've still got a room?"  
  
"Of course you've got a room. Why wouldn't you have?" Without waiting for an answer, he tugged Jack down the corridor toward the bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, you really can't do anything?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About me. I know you said I'm an impossible thing, but you deal with impossible things every day."  
  
The Doctor continued to tinker in silence for so long Jack was almost certain he was just going to pretend he hadn’t heard. “No.”  
  
“‘No’? That’s it? Just ‘no’?”  
  
“That’s it,” the Doctor said harshly.  
  
“But you’re-“  
  
“I said _no_.” He went quiet again, has hands falling away from the console. “My planet was a fixed point. Just like you. And I-“ he broke off, shook his head. “Dammit, I _can’t_ , Jack.” He turned away, clenching his fists. “I can’t. It would break me.”  
  
“Oh,” Jack said softly. He wrapped his arms around the Doctor, pulling the other man to his chest and let his cheek rest on the back of the Doctor’s head. The Doctor went completely still in his arms and for a second Jack thought he was going to pull away but he didn’t. “I won’t ask again. I’m sorry.”  
  
“That’s supposed to be my line,” the Doctor said softly.  
  
Jack smiled into his hair and planted a kiss on the back of his neck. “I know.”  
  
All the tension seemed to melt out of the Doctor and he turned around and grabbed Jack’s upper arms, bunching the fabric of his coat in his fists. He opened his mouth to say something and changed his mind, shoving Jack back against the console and snogging the life out of him. Jack’s arms went up around his neck and his legs spread almost reflexively.  
  
“You’re so easy,” the Doctor murmured against his lips.  
  
“Yeah,” Jack agreed breathlessly.  
  
The Doctor kissed him again, almost ruthlessly. “Jack,” he said, pulling away. “Jack, Jack, Jack. Do you have any idea what you’ve done to me?”  
  
Jack blinked up at him, confused.  
  
“You really don’t have a clue,” the Doctor said shaking his head. He kissed Jack again, tenderly, traced his fingertips over the other man’s cheek. “Are you going to leave me again?”  
  
“I’d like to think you wouldn’t let me,” Jack said, just a little bit dazed.  
  
“I couldn’t stop you,” the Doctor admitted. “If you wanted to leave, you could walk out that door...  and I don’t think I’d ever recover from that. Not properly.”  
  
Jack stared at him for a second before surging off the console and pushing him back against the nearest coral strut. “I won’t. I won’t go. Not unless you tell me to.” He pushed his fingers through the Doctor’s hair almost roughly, caught the other man’s mouth before he could say another word.


End file.
